HTC Said to Hire Former Samsung U.S. Marketing Executive

April 18 (Bloomberg) -- HTC Corp hired the former head of
marketing at Samsung Electronics Co.’s U.S. mobile phone
business as an adviser to Chairman Cher Wang, according to two
people familiar with the matter.

Paul Golden has been recruited as a contractor at the
Taiwanese smartphone maker within the past few weeks and reports
directly to Wang, the people said, asking not to be identified
because the situation is confidential.

HTC’s hiring of Golden comes amid three straight quarters
of operating losses and continued declines in sales and market
share. The Taoyuan, Taiwan-based company last month unveiled its
One M8 handset and hired actor Gary Oldman to feature in TV
commercials to promote the product, with Wang pledging to
improve sales through better marketing.

“We just have to communicate well with our customers,”
Wang said in an interview at HTC’s Taipei headquarters on April
8. “I believe if we can communicate better, we will do
better.”

HTC added 0.3 percent to NT$157.50 at the close of trade in
Taipei. The stock has added 12 percent this year compared with a
4.1 percent advance in Taiwan’s benchmark Taiex index.

“HTC continues to invest in talent and recruitment as part
of our broader human resources strategy,” the company said in
an e-mailed response to Bloomberg News today, without commenting
on Golden.

Golden worked for Samsung from 2008 to 2012 during which
time he “created and launched the highly successful Galaxy
brand for Samsung,” his account on LinkedIn Corp.’s website.

His long-term role at HTC hasn’t been finalized with Golden
initially hired on a three-month contract that’s included
attendance at meetings since this month, the people said.

Golden’s current employer is listed as Brand Slam, a
marketing consultancy, and he has previously worked for
companies including Qwest Communications, according to LinkedIn.